Projects
Projects: Projects for Investigator |
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| Reference Number | EP/K014897/1 | |
| Title | Bio-derived Feedstocks for Sustainable, UK-Based Manufacture of Chemicals and Pharmaceutical Intermediates | |
| Status | Completed | |
| Energy Categories | Renewable Energy Sources(Bio-Energy, Other bio-energy) 25%; Not Energy Related 50%; Energy Efficiency(Industry) 25%; |
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| Research Types | Basic and strategic applied research 100% | |
| Science and Technology Fields | BIOLOGICAL AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES (Biological Sciences) 50%; ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Chemical Engineering) 50%; |
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| UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation | Not Cross-cutting 100% | |
| Principal Investigator |
Professor G Lye No email address given Biochemical Engineering University College London |
|
| Award Type | Standard | |
| Funding Source | EPSRC | |
| Start Date | 01 February 2013 | |
| End Date | 30 April 2018 | |
| Duration | 63 months | |
| Total Grant Value | £1,923,246 | |
| Industrial Sectors | Chemicals | |
| Region | London | |
| Programme | Manufacturing : Manufacturing | |
| Investigators | Principal Investigator | Professor G Lye , Biochemical Engineering, University College London (99.993%) |
| Other Investigator | Professor N ( Nilay ) Shah , Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London (0.001%) Dr C Kontoravdi , Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London (0.001%) Professor HC Hailes , Chemistry, University College London (0.001%) Dr TD Sheppard , Chemistry, University College London (0.001%) Dr PA Dalby , Biochemical Engineering, University College London (0.001%) Professor JM Ward , Biochemical Engineering, University College London (0.001%) Prof DJ (David ) Leak , Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath (0.001%) |
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| Industrial Collaborator | Project Contact , Astra Zeneca (0.000%) Project Contact , Biocatalysts Ltd (0.000%) Project Contact , Centre for Process Innovation - CPI (0.000%) Project Contact , ALMAC Sciences (0.000%) Project Contact , British Sugar PLC (0.000%) Project Contact , Chemistry Innovation (0.000%) Project Contact , Chemoxy International Ltd (0.000%) Project Contact , Ingenza Ltd (0.000%) Project Contact , Process Systems Enterprise Limited (0.000%) Project Contact , TMO Renewables Ltd (0.000%) Project Contact , GSK (0.000%) |
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| Web Site | ||
| Objectives | ||
| Abstract | The chemical and pharmaceutical industries are currently reliant on petrochemical derived intermediates for the synthesis of a wide range of valuable products. Decreasing petrochemical reserves and concerns over costs and greenhouse gas emissions are now driving the search for renewable sources of organic synthons. This project aims to establish a range of new technologies to enable the synthesis of a range of chemicals from sugar beet pulp (SBP) in a cost-effective and sustainable manner. The UK is self-sufficient in the production of SBP which is a by-product of sugar beet production (8 million tonnes grown per year) and processing. Currently SBP is dried in an energy intensive process and then used for animal feed. The ability to convert SBP into chemicals and pharmaceutical intermediates will therefore have significant economic and environmental benefits.SBP is a complex feedstock rich in carbohydrate (nearly 80% by weight). The carbohydrate is made up of roughly equal proportions of 3 biological polymers; cellulose, hemicellulose and pectin. If the processing of SBP is to be cost-effective it will be necessary to find uses for each of these substances. Here we propose a biorefinery approach for the selective breakdown of all 3 polymers, purification of the breakdown compounds and their use to synthesise a range of added value products such as speciality chemicals, pharmaceuticals and biodegradable polymers. It is already well known that cellulose can be broken down into hexose sugars and fermented to ethanol for use in biofuels. Here we will focus on the release of galacturonic acid (from pectin) and arabinose (from hemicellulose) and their conversion, by chemical or enzymatic means, into added value products. We will also exploit the new principles of Synthetic Biology to explore the feasibility of metabolically engineering microbial cells to simultaneously breakdown the polymeric feed material and synthesise a desired product, such as aromatic compounds, in a single integrated process.In conducting this research we will adopt a holistic, systems-led, approach to biorefinery design and operation. Computer-based modelling tools will be used to assess the efficiency of raw material, water and energy utilisation. Economic and Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) approaches will then be employed to identify the most cost-effective and environmentally benign product and process combinations. The project is supported by a range of industrial partners from raw material producer to intermediate technology providers and end-user chemical and pharmaceutical companies. This is crucial in providing business and socio-economic insights regarding the adoption of renewable resources into their current product portfolios. The company partners will also provide the material and equipment resources for the large-scale verification of project outcomes and their ultimate transition into commercial manufacture | |
| Data | No related datasets |
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| Projects | No related projects |
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| Publications | No related publications |
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| Added to Database | 17/07/13 | |
